Happy Quarantine to You!
My birthday was on March 19th. Celebrations were a bit muted this year. No, not because I was trying to ignore how much more grey is in my beard. March 19th also happened to be the day that California Governor, Gavin Newsom, implemented his “Shelter in Place” ordinance. California effectively came to a screeching halt.
Don’t get me wrong! I totally agree with the dude’s call. But it did screw up my birthday plans.
The Coronavirus Pandemic has changed so many things about life at Electric City Butcher, and it is difficult, and sometimes hurts, to squint my eyes looking back on what things were like just a few months ago. So it probably comes as no surprise, that COVID collateral damage included Top Carnivore. I can’t believe it’s been more than two months since I’ve written a post.
The first weeks of Shelter-in-Place were like drinking from a fire hose. There was such an enormous demand for meat-you-can-trust that it overwhelmed us. We couldn’t keep up with your needs—and keep our team safe—without narrowing the funnel. For 45 days now, we have relied on our Mercato delivery, a phone that won’t stop ringing, and email to process your orders. Not letting any of you into the shop has been heart wrenching, but a minor inconvenience compared to the real challenges our first responders, healthcare workers, and the ill have had to endure.
The good news is, despite the prison-like lock-down in the shop; we’re again opening the doors to walk-in customers effective immediately.
More than half of our regular retail traffic is first-time guests, and it will be great to again see them walk through the doors of Electric City butcher and experience our custom butcher shop for the first time.
That said, things will continue to operate a little differently than before my birthday. Two people at a time in the shop. Mandatory masks for guests and crew. A lot of cryovac’d cuts. Abbreviated inventory. But we are slowly getting back to a “new” normal for all you meat lovers. We’ve got a new system in place, and our inventories are building back to where we can offer you the same delicious fresh meats, charcuteries, sausages and prepared foods that you’ve come to expect from ECB.
Wait, did I say sausages, and prepared foods?
That’s right! We’re bringing back sausage (two new beef sausages this week and pork next week). For those of you who need a break in the kitchen, we’ve also made meatloaf and chili (you guys, this chili is mind-blowingly good). We’re about to prep and slice our BACON, and you’ll see many of the other delicious items you’ve come to love slowly make their way back into the shop. As always, keep tabs on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Also, please take our survey and tell us what you’ve been missing most, please do! We’ll try to roll out the most popular back into the routine soon.
The one silver lining of all this chaos has been that COVID-19 has taught me a new appreciation for the transparency of our supply chain, the regenerative and sustainable practices of our farmers, and the care we take in our craft. The news has been abuzz with meat industry closures, shortages, and scarcity. Rest assured, our supplies are sound. We’ve even been able to welcome new products from some dynamite farms, like Ferndale Turkey, Klingeman Pork, and Lost Coast Beef. If anything, our locally-focuses, small-scale food chain is only improving as Coronavirus stresses the highly centralized, factory farms of the larger US food system. More on that later…
Despite all the darkness, this global pandemic has shined a little light on how important a local, neighborhood butcher can be for food safety. It’s back to the basics, back to knowing where your meat comes from, back to getting the food you love from a face you recognize (even if it is behind a mask).